Chapter 45
Everyone spent the next two days around the pool relaxing and enjoying the sun while they could. Connie spent some time with Grace as it would be the last for a while. She had to go back to America with her Dad and naturally Connie had to return to work.
"Are you looking forward to seeing your Dad again?" Grace was lying on an inflatable lilo while Connie rested her arms on the side of it careful not to submerge her daughter into the water. Grace met the question with a shrug.
"I guess so, I just wish we didn't live so far away from you. I've had more fun with you and Jacob than I ever have with Dad." Connie tried smiling and rested a hand against her leg. "Grace sweetheart you can always come visit us, who knows maybe me and Jacob will come to America and see you?" Grace nodded in response.
"I assume I've got your approval on Jacob then?" Grace smiled as Connie looked towards him. He was standing besides a smoking BBQ with Iain cooking. "He's funny." Connie laughed as Grace slid into the water with her Mum. "Do you think we could go on holiday when school's finished for summer? It's been fun and I really like Anya and Jessica."
Connie smiled "I'll have to talk to your Dad but I'd love to take you on holiday Gracie… Go on, go play." She smiled as Grace swam away to the other girls while Connie moved to sit on the steps so the water pooled around her waist. "Hey-" "Hey." Alicia slid into the water next to Connie and sat down moving her legs gently.
"I just wanted to say thank you for inviting us along-" "I should be thanking you. You're an incredible doctor Alicia and it's been good getting to know you." She smiled warmly before Iain waded into the water beside them and Rita sat on the side next to them. "So is it official that you've gone soft and are gonna cut us some slack in the department now-" "Ha! You obviously don't have the slightest idea about me do you Rita?"
She rolled her eyes before Alicia spoke. "Well I for one don't mind things staying the same at work, as long as you agree to come out with us sometimes it's been fun-" "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves-" "Yeah wouldn't want anyone thinking the ice queen was actually making friends with us." Connie threw a handful of water up at Rita at her comment leaving her in shock. "You deserved that-" "And if I did what you deserved you'd be at the bottom of the pool." Iain smirked as Connie turned away from Rita and relaxed again.
A few hours later Lofty wandered around from the side of the building holding some nets and a ball. "Lofty where did you even find that stuff-" "It was round the side in the cupboard… I thought maybe we could play a game."
Moments later and the nets had been secured to the posts Robyn had found. They acted as hoops either end of the pool. "Okay, rules are simple. No splashing the opponent intentionally and no attempts at drowning each other. Understood?" Iain directed the last bit to the two feisty ones now standing either end of the pool. Rita nodded while Connie glared across at him. "Fine" she lifted her hands surrendering before they stood in their teams.
Connie and Rita were obviously natural opponents so they'd gone from there. With Connie was Grace, Charlie, Brianna, Jessica, Alicia and Lofty. Leaving Iain, Isabella, Charlotte, Anya, Robyn and Ethan with Rita. Jacob offered to stay out as there was an uneven number of them with Elisha, Tess and Elliot deciding to watch instead.
They played for about an hour and it was pretty even throughout. Eventually Rita's team got the final point meaning they won 8-10. Connie rolled her eyes as she lifted herself out of the pool before grabbing a towel and drying herself off although there was really no need because the sun would have done it in minutes.
Connie stepped behind Jacob and wrapped her arms around him smiling smelling the food. "It smells amazing, you didn't have to you know. You could have played and I'd have watched-" "Grace wanted to play with you, and I know you needed the time with her too." Connie smiled as Jacob placed a gentle kiss on her lips before removing her arms and letting him finish.
For the first time that holiday they all sat down at the long table with the food between them all, smiling and talking. Everyone was talking to one another laughing about things that had happened while they'd been out here. None of them were ready for the getaway to end, despite the ups and downs some of them had had with each other.
Tomorrow was their final night in paradise and they had nothing except a quite night together planned. Connie smiled as Jacob rested his hand on top of hers on the table. Her ring reflecting the sunlight as it shone down over them. "Love you-" "I love you too Jacob." He leaned in kissing her before they returned to the conversations along the table.